Farmexpert was the most profitable local wholesaler, as its net income stood at more than RON100 milion for the first time in a year when it became part of the largest retail pharmacy operator worldwide, Walgreens Boots Alliances, following the former’s acquisition of later worldwide. UK’s Alliance Boots was Farmexpert’s owner.
While Farmexpert was the most profitable, Mediplus was the pharmaceutical wholesaler with the highest profit growth rate. Its net profit stood at RON44 million in 2014 compared with RON16 million in 2013. Mediplus is part of the A&D Pharma group along with Sensiblu retail pharmacy chain. Although Mediplus’ profit increased, its revenue dropped 3%.
Fildas saw its profit up, as well, to RON41 million from RON35 million in 2013.
Polisano and Farmexim posted lower profit. Polisano had to cope with a series of problems after the death of its founder, Ilie Vonica, last summer. Its profit fell to RON7.9 milion from RON9.01 million in 2013, as the new management team took over as late as the third quarter.
Farmexim’s profit suffered as a result of the move of the company to a new logistics center. Farmexim inaugurated its new logistics center with a floor area of 16,000 square meters and a storage capacity of more than 6,000 pallets in January 2014. It also inaugurated its new corporate headquarters in Balotesti, near Bucharest in July 2014. The company officials said it operated in both the old and new locations for a while to avoid disruption of its activity, but that decision cost it a 6% decline in profit to RON18 million.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)